Stereo Phantoms without Dialog possible?

[ogs]

I'm afraid the volume control is digital. It is in my 250. Spark, Dialog and Phantom too I believe. The only volume control that fits your description is the one used in Tact/Lyngdorf amps where the power supply rails where adjusted to control loudness. But even here digital control is used for (the upper) part of the range.

Ok, then how are they doing it? If they are doing something as basic as 24bits (the full resolution)  corresponding to max volume, then, since we never play them at max volume, we never listen to a full resolution signal? It sounds too bad to be true, I guess... Anyone knows how it's done?

There is a very nice article on the subject here: www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/12/kih-3-can-digital-volume-controls-keep-it-honest/. I do not think 24bits is used for serious equipment. Totaldac states 69bit resolution for its digital attenuator. 64bits is often used elsewhere. I've noticed that Devialet mentions 40bits resolution for their DSP. Maybe this also indcate what they use for the volume control.
I agree with you that this is a problematic aerea.